The number of complaints from parents about special needs education has risen by three-quarters in the past four years – with more than one complaint a day filed last year, according to figures from the local government ombudsman. The increase reflects the crisis in the special educational needs and disabilities system, with rising demand, chronic underfunding, lengthy delays and enduring gaps in provision. Complaints upheld by the local government and social care ombudsman (LGSCO) last year include cases where children missed out on therapy and schooling for a year or more, and severe delays by councils in assessing children’s needs. Figures from the ombudsman – which looks at complaints about councils and adult care providers – show that 430 complaints were filed regarding Send education in 2021-22, up from 305 in each of the previous two years and 244 in 2018-19. The ombudsman doesn’t investigate every complaint it receives, but it consistently upholds about 90% of the SEND complaints it does investigate – much higher than in other areas covered by the ombudsman. Find out more here: ‘They just want parents to go away’: complaints soar as special needs schooling crisis spirals | Special educational needs | The Guardian
